Device for guiding a wire in a packaging machine around a package



Get. 30, 1962 P. A. VAN DE BILT DEVICE FOR-GUIDING A WIRE IN A PACKAGING 3060840 MACHINE AROUND A PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 I i ll 2 1 l INVENTOR BY I ATTORNEY P. A. VAN DE BILT DEVICE FOR GUIDING A WIRE IN A PACKAGING. MACHINE AROUND A PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 uvmvroa 1 /575? 4. 144A 005/1. 7

BY LQMMM I HTTX United States Patent Ofiice 3,660,840 DEVICE FOR GUIDING A WEE IN A PACKAGING MAtIIIINE AROUND A FACKAGE Pieter A. van de Biit, Maartensdijk, Netherlands, assignor to N.V. Metaverpa, Maartensdijk, Netherlands, a corporation of the Netherlands Filed Sept. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 54,121. Claims priority, application Netherlands Sept. 9, 195? 12 Qlahns. (Cl. Nil-26) The invention relates to a device for guiding a wire in a packaging machine around a package, said device consisting of a vertical frame with a guiding channel for the wire, which is so constructed that the wire can be drawn from the channel inwards around the package. A device of this kind is commonly known, and in particular for flat wire is generally constructed in such a way (see U.S. Patent No. 2,416,859) that the guiding channel is open towards the inside of the frame and is there covered with a series of elastic lips, which yield successively as the wire is drawn from the guiding channel around the package. These elastic lips, however, form so many sources of danger that the wire may be arrested, which is a serious drawback. In particular for fiat wire it is a requirement that it should be guided accurately, and the invention has for its object to obviate the drawback of the known device, while preserving satisfactory guidance. Now this object is attained according to the invention by the feature that in the frame, near a continuous slot opening inwardly of the frame, horizontally sliding guiding members are present, in which the guiding channel has been provided in the form of a groove open towards one side, said guiding members being pressed by a spring with the open side of the groove against a fixed surface of the frame and being adapted to be displaced by electric, pneumatic or hydraulic members against the spring tension in such a way that the wire can be drawn through the slot inwards around the package. As the packaging wire is fed into the machine and passed around the frame it travels through a guiding channel closed on all sides and having smooth surfaces, against which the leading end of the wire cannot abut. When the wire has been passed around the frame and fixed with its end in a clamp, the wire has to be retracted in order to be applied tightly about the package. Now according to the invention this is made possible because the guiding members are forced horizontally from the plane of the wire, in consequence of which the wire becomes quite clear and can easily be drawn from the slot around the package. If the wire should remain in the guiding channel upon the slight side long displacement of the guiding members, this forms no disadvantage, since the retraction of the wire starts in a place where the wire is positively kept in its plane by the feeding guide, so that initially the wire is sure to leave the guiding channel. As it is retracted the wire will then automatically slip from the other parts of the guiding channel.

The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to the drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic front elevational view of a part of a packaging machine.

FIGURE 2 is 'a cross-sectional view through the guiding frame taken on line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view through the guiding frame taken on line III-J11 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line IV IV of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line VV of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 6.

The machine shown in FIGURE 1 consists of an underframe-1 with a packaging table 2, on which is mounted the wire guiding and looping frame 3, with the aid of which the wire fed by the rollers 4 and 5 is passed around the frame to form a loop. The numeral 6 indicates the position of the twisting or tying mechanism (not shown) for the ends of the wire. The wire fed by the rollers 4-, 5 travels through a guiding channel of the lower beam 7 of the frame, subsequently through the vertical beam 8, the horizontal upper beam 9, and the vertical beam 10, after which the wire travels through the lower beam 7 again until beyond the position of the tying mechanism, the end enters a clamp device not shown, which holds this end.

As appears from FIGURES 2 to 5 inclusive, the frame consists of two juxtaposed portions 11 and 12, between which, is a slot 13, which serves to allow the free passage of the wire. The slot 13 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, which extends through beam 7 and is open downwardly and serves to allow dirt to fall therethrough. In all the beams and uprights of the frame, guiding members 14 are present, in which the wire guiding channel or groove 15 is contained, and these guiding members 14 are pressed by a flat leaf spring 14a with the opening of the channel or groove against the closed surface of the portion 31. In the portions 11 pneumatic cylinders 16 are present, the piston rods 17 of which are adapted to press against the guiding members 14. In the right half of the lower beam of the frame (see FIGURE 2) instead of guiding member 14 two guiding members are present, the guiding member 18 having channel or groove 15a, through which the wire first passes, being fixed, while the guiding member 19 having channel or groove 15b, which guides the end of the wire that has been passed around the frame, is movable by cylinder 16a carried by portion 12. The signal that compressed air has to be supplied to these cylinders can be given, for instance, by the clamp (not shown) which seizes the end of the wire fed in. When these cylinders are actuated, the guiding members 14 and 19 are displaced from the plane of the wire, in consequence of which the latter can be drawn away via the slot 13 formed between the guiding members 14 and the portion 11 or formed between member 19 and portion 12.

Besides pneumatic operation of the guiding members, electric or hydraulic operation is also possible.

What we claim is:

1. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, means within the slot for releasably retaining a loop of wire in the slot, and means other than the loop of wire for displacing the retaining means to release the loop of wire for withdrawal inwardly through the slot.

2. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, means within the slot for blocking Withdrawal of the loop of wire inwardly through the slot, and means other than the wire and on the frame for displacing the blocking means to free the slot to enable the loop of wire to be withdrawn.

3. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, displaceable means within the slot for blocking withdrawal of the loop of wire through the slot, means urging the displaceable means to blocking position, and means other than the wire on the frame for displacing the blocking means to free the slot and enable the loop of wire to be withdrawn from the slot.

4-. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the'frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, blocking means displaceable laterally into and out of the slot and having a surface engageable with one wall of the slot and provided with a wire-receiving groove cooperating with saidone wall of the slot" upon engaging the same to form a wire guide, and means other than the wire on the frame for displacing said blocking means out of the slot and out of a position embracing the wire to enable the wire loop to be withdrawn from the slot.

5. In an apparatus for applying a looped Wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, blocking means displaceable laterally into and out of the'slot and having a surface engageable with one wall of the slot and provided with a wire-receiving groove cooperating with said one wall of the slot upon engaging the same to form a wire guide, means urging the blocking means into engagement with said wall of the slot, and means other than the wire on the frame for displacing said blocking means out of the slot and out of a position embracing the wire to enable the wire loop to be withdrawn from the slot.

6. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame 7 of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, blocking means displaceable laterally into and out of the slot and having a surface engageable with one wall of the slot and provided with a wire-receiving groove cooperating with said one wall of the slot 7 upon engaging the same to form a wire guide, means extending through said one wall of the slot and operable for displacing said blocking means out of the slot and out of a position embracing the wire to enable the Wire loop to be withdrawn from the slot.

7. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of generally'rectangular loop formation having a wirereceivingslot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion ofthe frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, said frame hav- 7 ing upper and lower beam members and upright members between corresponding ends of the upper and lower beam members, said frame at the juncture of adjacent beam and upright members having concavely curved portions forming the outer periphery of the slot at that region of the frame and means displaceable laterally into and out of the slot in the intermediate portions of said members having a wire guiding groove therein cooperating with a wall of the slot to provide an enclosed wire guiding channel, the outer peripheral surface of which is in register with and adjacent'of sa-id concavely curved portions of said slot and cooperating therewith to provide a looped wire guiding channel and pneumatically actuated means for displacing said displaceable means.

8. In'an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of generallyrectangular loop formation having a wirereceiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of 'wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, said frame having upper and lower beam members and upright members 4 V 7 between corresponding ends of the upper and lower beam members, said frame at the juncture of adjacent beam and upright members having concavely curved portions forming the outer periphery of the slot at that region of the frame and means displaceable laterally into and out of the slot in the intermediate portions of said members having a wire guiding groove therein cooperating with a wall of the slot to provide an enclosed wire guiding channel, the outer peripheral surface of which is in register with and adjacent of said concavely curved portions of said slot and cooperating therewith to provide a looped wire guiding channel, and means other than the wire for displacing said displaceable means.

9. 'In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of generally rectangular loop formation having a wirereceiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of theframe and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, said frame having upper and lower beam members and upright members between corresponding ends of the upper and lower beam members, said frame at the juncture of adjacent beam and upright members having concavely curved portions forming the outer periphery of the slot at that region of the frame and means displaceable laterally into and out of the slot in the intermediate portions of said members and cooperating with said slot to provide a closed wire-guiding channel in the members intermediate the ends thereof and registering with the outer peripheral portion of the slot at the curved portions thereof, and means other than the wire for displacing said displaceable means.

10. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, means within the slot for releasably retaining a loop of wire in the slot, and power actuated means other than the wire for displacing the retaining means to release the loop of wire for withdrawal inwardly through the slot. 7

11. In an apparatus for applying a looped wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of loop formation having a wire-receiving slot therein opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame and through which a loop of wire can be withdrawn to surround an article, means displaceable into and out of the slot and cooperating with the slot when'within the same to form a wire embracing guide and power actuated means other than the wire for displacing the displaceable means out of the slot to release and enable a loop of wire tobe withdrawn from the slot.

p 12. In an apparatus for applying a looped Wire about an article to be bound, a wire guiding and looping frame of generally rectangular loop formation, said frame having upper and lower beam members and upright members between corresponding ends of the upper and lower beam members, said members each having a longitudinal channel of rectangular cross section communicating with a longitudinal slot-like opening at the inner peripheral portion of the frame, one side wall of the channel being aligned with one side wall of the slot-like opening, a longitudinal rectangular wire guiding member laterally slidably mounted in each channel and provided with a wire receiving slot in the side thereof facing the sidewall of the channel aligned with the wall of the slot-like opening, spring means urging the wire guiding member to a position in which the slot containing side engages the wall of the channel, and power operated means other than the wire for displacing the wire guiding members against the spring means away from the side wall of the channel, said frame'at the juncture of adjacent beam and upright members having concavely curved slot portions in line with the wire receiving slots of the displaceable guiding members when in the position in which said members engage the said side wall of the channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Black et a1 Apr. 22, 1958 Fawcett Oct. 13, 1959 Van Marle Jan. 12, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Belguim Jan. 15, 1955 France Nov. 24, 1958 Great Britain June 25, 1958 

